Disney Cruise Adventures: The Thing That Should Not Be
by Luke Lynch
Summary: A young guest on a Disney cruise ship experiences a miracle beyond his wildest dreams as, over the course of several trips, he finds love in the most unlikely place imaginable. Music, forbidden (technically) love, and the wedding of a lifetime await. Inspired by a collection of scenarios I'd come up with to occupy my mind. BelleXOC, beta read by Crazy Cat Lady.
1. I Am The Wind

**Infinity Entertainment Presents**

An Insanity Works Production

_A Luke Lynch Story_

_**Disney Cruise Adventures: The Thing That Should Not Be**_

**Prologue: I Am The Wind**

_Friday, November 15, 2013, approx. 4:30 PM..._

"...so go ahead and choose a character," said one of the Disney Fantasy staff at the "See Ya Real Soon!" gathering, "queue up and make some last-minute memories with your favorites!" Immediately after he said this, my eyes found Belle: behind the Grand Staircase. Not wasting any time, I made my way over to her and walked up to her escort: a guy named Alex, who bore a frightening resemblance to Aladdin.

"Hey, Alex," I greeted. "Is there any way I could steal you for a few minutes while I talk to my favorite Disney woman?"

"Of course," he laughed, as I saw Belle blush and smile out of the corner of my eye. "What do you need?"

"Just for you to snap a few shots," I said, and handed him my phone after opening up the camera function.

"Can do, bro," he answered. "Go ahead and make some magic."

"What the hell do you think I've been doing all week?" I chuckled as I walked over to Belle.

"Oh, Casey," she cooed, "I'm so happy you came back."

"You really think I was going to miss giving the princess who had the greatest impact on me this past week a proper 'Until next time'?" I asked her, and made to kiss the top of her hand, as I had done with all the Princesses on the ship every time I had met them. But as I took her hand, she said something that I had only heard from two characters over the course of this week (Belle herself being one of them):

"Actually, is there any way I could get a hug?"

"But of course, my dear," I replied, and embraced her gently. Then, something truly unexpected:

"How about a peck on the cheek?" she whispered in my ear. Not being one to turn down a Disney Princess, I tenderly kissed her right cheek..._and felt her return the gesture before we separated._

_Holy Romulus,_ I thought, intensely surprised. _I may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I'm pretty sure that NEVER happens, even if Disney allows it...which is HIGHLY unlikely. _I decided to err on the side of caution and not bring it up.

"I got your letter," I informed her. "Thanks so much for it; I never dreamed that I would warrant a personalized letter from a Disney Princess, let alone my favorite."

"Well, that's the impact you had on me this week," she answered. "I don't think I could forget you even if I wanted to; you're such a wonderful young man."

"I do try," I giggled, "regardless of what Mom might say."

"And you did wonderfully this week," praised Belle. "Every character on this ship that has met you has had nothing but glowing things to say whenever I asked them about you. After a week of hanging out with you, I can safely say that they did not do you justice, and it makes me very sad to think that I might not see you again."

"Don't be sad," I said gently, daring to cup her chin with my thumb and forefinger, so as to get her to look into my eyes. "We WILL meet again."

"How can you be certain?" she asked, and it seemed to me that tears were welling up in her eyes.

"Because I'm promising you right here and now that we will," I told her with all the sincerity I had in me. "And a promise made to a Disney Princess is a promise you BLOODY well better keep."

"I'm glad to see you think that way," she said with a small smile, though the tears in her eyes were now threatening to spill out. "But it's not going to be easy."

"Nothing was easy that was ever worth doing," I reminded her, "and rest assured that I will do EVERYTHING that is within my power to-legally, mind you-return to this ship one way or another."

"Just to see me?" asked Belle.

"Well, I can't honestly say that it will be JUST to see you," I admitted. "But I will say this: It will, indeed, be you that I look forward to seeing the most."

"Unless Elsa and Anna join our cast," quipped Belle, referring to the two leading ladies of Disney's upcoming newest movie, _Frozen_.

"I'm not really that jazzed for _Frozen_, honestly," I said to Belle. "It looks like another _Alvin and the Chipmunks_-type deal." (If only I had known then how wrong I was about _Frozen._ Little did I know that within two months, I would find out exactly how wrong I was.)

"But for the time being," Belle put in, bringing our conversation back to its original topic, "this is definitely goodbye?"

"I really hate that word 'goodbye'," I confessed to Belle. "It reminds me too much of 'farewell', and farewell is forever. Now, with that said, I have one last thing I'd like to do before we part ways, if I may." And I looked at Alex, who smiled and nodded.

"Thank you," I said to him. Turning my attention back to Belle, I said, "There's a song I'd like to sing for you, just to ensure that I am not forgotten."

"You won't be," assured Belle, "but let's hear it anyway." Not wasting any time, I launched into the sad lyrics:

_Just like the wind  
I've always been  
Drifting high up in a sky that never ends  
_

_Through thick and thin  
I always win  
'Cause I would fight both life and death to save a friend_

_I face my destiny  
Every day I live  
And the best of me  
Is all I have to give_

_Just like the sun  
When my day's done  
Sometimes I don't like the person I've become_

_Is the enemy within  
Or a thousand men?  
Should I walk the path  
Of my worse or better half?_

_Is someone testing me  
Every day I live?  
Well, the best of me  
Is all I have to give  
_

_I can pretend  
I am the wind  
And I don't know if I will pass this way again_

_All things must end  
Goodbye, my friend  
Think of me when you see the sun or feel the wind_

_I am the wind  
I am the sun  
And one day  
We'll all be one_

_I am the wind  
I am the sun  
And one day  
We'll all be one..._

It was about this time that Belle walked up to me and wrapped me in a very emotional hug, which I returned.

"I don't want you to go," I heard her say through teary eyes. "I want you to stay with me."

"I wish I could," I told her, "because you know I would. But, unfortunately for both of us, I must be off this ship tomorrow morning. I'm just glad I was able to say a proper 'Until next time' before they kick all the guests out. Rest assured...I will never forget you."

"Ditto to you," answered Belle, wiping her eyes and smiling as best she could. "Shall we take some photos?"

"Of course," I agreed, and we both turned towards camera. We posed for five pictures, though it was evident that Belle was fighting back tears the whole time.

"Thank you so much for being who you are," she said to me before we finally parted ways, "and for showing how much you believe in what we hope to stand for."

"Hope, nothing," I corrected her. "It's what you DO stand for. And I can't be anything other than who I am, because if you try to be something you're not, nobody will respect you for who you are."

"And he's wise beyond his years..." Belle said to herself. "Well, goodbye for now, and I really hope to see you again." And she offered me her hand, which I took and kissed.

"Until next time..._Mademoiselle_ Cartier," I said sincerely. The use of a last name seemed to catch Belle off guard.

"Cartier?" she asked. "What?"

"I read it in a fan story once," I told her. "The author bestowed it upon you and your father as the family name. I liked the way it sounded, so I started using it."

"Oh, OK," she conceded, and seemed to say it to herself a few times. "I like it; it has a nice ring to it."

"I thought so, too," I agreed. "Anyway, as I said, until next time." And I bowed as deeply and respectfully as I could.

"Hopefully," she answered, curtsying, "that next time is sooner rather than later. I'll see you then," she finished, waving to me. As I waved goodbye and walked away, I could swear I saw her mouth the words, _I love you_, before her next guest walked up.

"Uh...Casey?" I heard Alex say. I turned to regard him, and it was only then that I realized he still had my phone.

"Oh, right," I laughed as he gave it to me. "I might want this."

"Yeah, you might," he answered. "Hey, if I don't see you at some point tonight or tomorrow, it was great meeting you, pal."

"Likewise, buddy," I answered. "You take care."

* * *

Later, as the gathering was wrapping up, I saw Belle about to follow the other Princesses out of the Atrium. She looked towards the crowd and when she saw me, her eyes lit up and she blew me a kiss. And this time, there was no mistaking it: She mouthed "I love you" as she walked off.

_And I love you, Belle..._ I mouthed back at her, and I know she knew what I had mouthed because she took on that classic lovestruck expression.

And that was the last time I saw her on my first Disney cruise. However, not even Dan Brown could have imagined where this would end up going from here...

* * *

A/N: The story you are reading is based on a series of scenes I came up with in my head over the last two months. The chapter you just read did not occur in this fashion; Belle and I simply exchanged thank-yous and a photo op the final time I met her. Everything from here on out is entirely fictional.

CHALLENGE: Right at the end, I name-dropped someone. I will deliver you a virtual Naco if you can tell me what made them famous.

TBC...

NEXT: Let It Go (The Day My Life Changed Forever)


	2. Let it Go

**Chapter 1: Let it Go  
(or, The Day My Life Changed Forever)**

It was about a month after I'd gotten back from the cruise. I found myself staring out my bedroom window, root beer-colored eyes beginning to moisten as I thought back to my final meeting with Belle, and how it had gone down; specifically, what she had done and confessed to me. The fact that not only did she allow me to kiss her cheek, but she responded in kind...My mind was blown, and I didn't think I would ever truly get it back to what it had been before the cruise. As I ran my hand through my short, dark hair, a song came to me from another Disney film that I had watched recently, and it just fit perfectly. Looking skyward, I began to sing into the cloudless night:

_So many times out there  
I've watched a happy pair  
Of lovers walking in the night_

_They had a kind of glow around them  
It' almost looked like Heaven's light_

_I knew I'd never know  
That warm and loving glow  
Though I might wish with all my might_

_No one as dorky as I am  
Was ever meant for Heaven's light_

And my mind once again cast itself back to Belle. Bright yellow strapless dress with matching three-quarter gloves, chocolate-brown hair styled in a way I didn't know it could be styled, drop-dead gorgeous face, and...God help me...that billion-dollar smile.

_But suddenly, a Princess  
Has smiled at me  
And kissed my cheek with no regrets in sight_

A smile of my own crossed my lips as I remembered how similar her personality was to my own: bright, cheerful...She was, quite literally, the perfect woman (at least in my view).

_I dare to dream that she  
Might even care for me  
And as I fall asleep tonight_

_My cold, dark bedroom seems so bright  
I swear it must be Heaven's...  
_

_...Light_

As a single tear escaped my eye, I climbed into bed and eventually fell asleep, entering a dream world that was entirely my own.

* * *

_Mid-January, 2014..._

"Holy Romulus," I said to myself as I walked out of the movie theater, having just seen _Frozen_ and learning exactly how wrong I had been about it. "Never have I been so happy to be wrong about a movie. That was amazing." The trailers I had seen hadn't done anything for me, putting all the emphasis on a goofy snowman named Olaf (who was quite funny, don't get me wrong), as opposed to the story of the movie, which was a very loose take on Hans Christian Andersen's _The Snow Queen._ The music had been amazing, especially the Award Bait song, which was simply called "Let it Go". It was an orchestral rock piece sung by Elsa when she decided to take control of her powers and her life after Arendelle, the Scandinavian village of which she had been crowned Queen, had fallen into an eternal winter due to an unintentional release of her powers.

Absolute musical brilliance.

About a week or so after I saw _Frozen,_ I learned that one of my neighbors had a full drum kit. Wasting no time, I started talking with him and he eventually agreed to record me playing on it. What came out was my own take on "Let it Go", which was really just a few extra drum fills here and there. When we parted ways, he agreed to send me the video he had captured, and I ended up putting it on YouTube. It was quite well-received by the YT community, quickly becoming my most popular video. The comments stopped coming after a couple of weeks, though, and I eventually forgot all about it.

Then, in early February, I got an e-mail from an address I didn't recognize that simply told me to expect a call from a certain phone number, which was given just below that sentence. A couple of days afterward, I did, indeed, get a call from that exact number. Not knowing what to expect, I answered the phone.

"Hello?" I said.

"Hi," said a familiar voice on the other end of the line. "Is this Casey Gallagher?"

"Speaking," I answered, "and I swear I know your voice from somewhere. May I ask who's calling?"

"Well," the voice answered, "if you've seen _Fever Pitch,_ you know me from my portrayal of a guy named Ben Wrightman." And then it clicked. But...no way. There was no way in hell he, of all people, would be calling me.

"Holy Romulus..." I stuttered. "_Jimmy Fallon?!"_

"The one and only," he confirmed. "What's going on?"

"Uh...Nothing now," I laughed. "Hey, I heard the news: Congrats on taking over The Tonight Show."

"Thanks a lot," he answered. "I'm so pumped for it to get started. Which brings me to the reason I'm calling."

"I'm listening," I encouraged.

"I saw your 'Let it Go' video on YouTube," he informed, "and it's basically gone viral: It's at over 2 million hits and counting."

"Wait, WHAT?!" I cried. "To tell the truth, I completely forgot about that video after the comments stopped coming in."

"Well, the interwebs, as it were, have not," he told me. "After having seen the video, I can understand why: You've got some real talent, and I think it'd be great for you to come on the show at some point soon. You can perform the song live; we'll talk, we'll play a game or two, it'll be fun."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, WHOA!" I stammered, not believing what I had just heard. "Are you serious right now? You want a simple dork from Eastern Mass. on THE FREAKING TONIGHT SHOW?!"

"Don't sell yourself so short," admonished Jimmy.

"I'm not," I retorted. "I know what I am, and that is a total geek with some musical talent and a seventeen-year penchant for video games. But in all seriousness, you really want me on The Tonight Show?"

"I do," he confirmed. "What night works best for you?"

"To be perfectly honest," I confessed, "I'd really love to do the St. Patrick's Day episode. The only problem is getting out to New York and finding accommodations for a night or two."

"I'll take care of that," answered Jimmy. "We'll fly you out to New York the night before, you'll have a hotel for two nights and two days, and we'll get you back home before dinner on Tuesday."

"Izzat so?" I asked, surprised.

"Indeed it is," confirmed Jimmy. "So I'll see you on St. Paddy's?"

"Provided this doesn't turn out to be a dream when I pinch myself," I agreed, and then proceeded to pinch myself. Hard.

"_**OUCH!**_"

* * *

_Monday, March 17, 2014..._

"Ladies and gentlemen," introduced Jimmy, "you are going to love tonight's guest. His drum cover of 'Let it Go' from Disney's _Frozen _has absolutely BLOWN UP YouTube; it is now well on its way to five million hits. By the way..." And he pulled out a _Frozen _movie poster. "..._Frozen _hits store shelves tomorrow. It is an amazing movie; go buy it, and hopefully you'll learn how to pronounce the singer's name properly. I'm looking at you, John Travolta."

And the audience laughed as he pointed directly towards the camera, accompanied by a not-insignificant Death Glare, before he, himself, laughed.

I, meanwhile, was standing behind the curtain, wearing a green shirt that said "Ireland" across it, above a very stylized Celtic Cross, and I was laughing my ass off, having seen this year's Oscars, and witnessing Travolta completely BUTCHERING Idina Menzel's name (not that I had any clue about how to properly pronounce it, but it most certainly was not "Adele Dazeem").

"Anyway, let's bring this young man out here, shall we?" I heard him say. "Ladies and gentlemen, let's hear it for Casey Gallagher!" The audience broke into wild applause and cheers as the curtain drew back just enough to allow me through. I walked through, smiled at the crowd, threw up the "rock on" hand sign, and walked over to Jimmy, who took my hand and gave it a firm shake. He then gestured me to the plushy chair next to his paper-thin desk, in which I sat.

"Yes, indeed, here he is, the man of the hour," said Jimmy excitedly over the crowd.

"The man of the hour, the man with the power, a beautiful flower, too sweet to be sour," I shot back without missing a beat. Some members of the crowd chuckled. "But, unfortunately, I am not 'Superstar' Billy Graham." Definite laughter from the crowd on this one.

"Ah, he's got jokes, too," noted Jimmy. "I like this kid already."

"But sadly," I confessed to Jimmy, "that was about half my jokes right there."

"Oh, really?" asked Jimmy. "Well, what's the other half?"

"Right here," I said as I pointed to my seat. More chuckles from the crowd.

"Well, I can work with that," laughed Jimmy. And with that, we launched into a discussion of my video and the story behind it for about 20 minutes.

"OK," said Jimmy at the end of it. "Well, are you ready to give these people what they came here to see?"

"Always," I answered confidently. Looking over towards where the Roots were stationed, I added, "Yo, QuestLove! Is there any way I can borrow your kit for a bit while I do this?"

"Damn right," he acquiesced. "Get your ass on over here." I did as told and took his place at the kit.

"Roots," I said, "whenever you gentlemen are ready."

"Well," called Jimmy from over at his desk, "we need a singer, don't we?"

"I was gonna leave that to the audience," I said to Jimmy. "Unless you have someone in mind?"

"Actually," said Jimmy slyly, "I do. What is a performance of a Disney Award Bait song...without the person who originally performed it? Give it up, New York, for Queen Elsa herself, Broadway legend Idina Menzel!" And, to my shock, there she was, walking out from behind the curtain in the same dress she had worn to the Oscars, all smiles and waving to everyone. She gave Jimmy a quick hug, and then...she walked in my direction, pointing directly at me. I took her hand, kissed it (big 'Awww...' from the audience), and started to mime the act of bowing.

"I am not worthy...I am not worthy...I am SO not worthy..." I said, just loud enough for everyone to hear. More laughter from everyone in the room.

"I'll be the judge of that," chuckled Idina. "Let's devour this crowd."

"After you, Milady," I agreed, and sat back down at the drum kit. James Poyser got us started with the now-iconic piano intro. Idina started up the lyrics when the time to do so came:

_The snow glows white on the mountain tonight  
Not a footprint to be seen  
A kingdom of isolation and it looks like I'm the Queen_

_The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside  
Couldn't keep it in  
Heaven knows I tried_

I started keeping time on the hi-hats about this time.

_Don't let them in  
Don't let them see  
Be the good girl you always have to be_

_Conceal, don't feel  
Don't let them know_

_Well, now they know..._

Snare rimclicks entered the picture as Idina belted out the first chorus.

_Let it go  
Let it go  
Can't hold it back anymore_

_Let it go  
Let it go  
Turn away and slam the door_

_I don't care  
What they're going to say_

_Let the storm rage on  
The cold never bothered me anyway..._

The song became a little more upbeat as the second verse began.

_It's funny how some distance  
Makes everything seem small  
And the fears that once controlled me  
Can't get to me at all_

_It's time to see what I can do  
To test the limits and break through  
No right, no wrong, no rules for me  
I'm free..._

I now transitioned to full-on rock mode as the second chorus began, by which I mean the full impact of snare, bass, hi-hat, and other drums would now be felt until the end of the song.

_Let it go  
Let it go  
I am one with the wind and sky_

_Let it go  
Let it go  
You'll never see me cry_

_Here I stand  
And here I'll stay_

_Let the storm rage on..._

Big round of applause from the crowd as I performed the main fill of the song. It was very Dream Theater-ish, if that makes any sense. As Idina started singing again, I started a sixteenth-note long roll on the hi-hats with the bass keeping time, and threw in a little mini-fill at the end of each line:

_My power flurries through the air into the ground  
My soul is spiraling in frozen fractals all around  
And one thought crystallizes like an icy blast_

I stopped the drums at this point, and kicked them back in via a building fill that led into the final chorus.

_I'm never going back  
The past is in the pa...st_

_Let it go  
Let it go  
When I rise like the break of dawn  
_

_Let it go  
Let it go  
That perfect girl is gone_

_Here I stand  
In the light of day_

Another drum fill transitioned into the epic high note of the song, after which I started pounding the hell out of the crash and ride cymbals until the final line began.

_Let the storm rage O...N_

Once that epic high note ended, I quickly grabbed a hold of both cymbals to stop their noise, which happened just in time for the final line to begin:

_The cold never bothered me anyway..._

"Give it up for Idina Menzel and Casey Gallagher!" cried Jimmy as the song ended. The crowd gleefully obliged him, treating us to a standing ovation. Idina beckoned me over to her, put her arm around my shoulder, and we took a bow, deep and respectful.

"You are BEYOND worthy," I heard her say to me, at which point the audience began to quiet down. Then the bombshell to end all bombshells was dropped:

"So worthy, in fact," revealed Idina, "that I feel you deserve something HUGE; you've earned it, as far as I'm concerned. Are you familiar with the _Disney Fantasy_ cruise ship?"

"Holy Romulus," I laughed, "I have got some STORIES from my time on that ship this past November. But to sum it all up, I'll just show you this one picture, of the most magical moment I made on the trip. Could we get that on a screen or something?" And at those words, a picture of myself and Belle that made it look like we were proposing to each other appeared on the screens for all the audience to see (another big "Awww...").

"Talk about timing," I quipped, "we weren't in that pose for very long."

"I bet," laughed Idina. "But anyway, I recently took a cruise on the Fantasy myself, with my family; had an absolute blast, got to spend a night with Belle just by ourselves-"

"I trust all you did was talk?" I asked, and winked at the crowd, who busted out laughing, as did Idina.

"Yes, that's all we did. Anyway, we got to talking about random people we had met that we missed, and she was telling me about this one guy that she had met named Casey, back in November. She lit up like a Christmas tree whenever she talked about him; I could tell she really missed him, and wanted him to come back something fierce. Anyway, cut to tonight, and I find out that you were the man she met? And not to mention your performance? Oh, I have to do this for you." And she pulled out a tablet, touched the screen a few times, and said to me:

"What do you say to spending two weeks by yourself...on the _Disney Fantasy..._on me?" The crowd broke into shocked gasps and I heard a "Holy cow!" or two from up there.

"You'd do that for a dork from Southeastern Massachusetts?!" I cried, in about as much shock as the audience.

"Not just for you..." winked Idina. "...but also for the Princess who loves and misses you terribly."

"Normally," I revealed to Idina and the world at large, "I would say thank you so much for your generosity, but no, because I want to make it on my own steam. However, unless I can land a job soon, there is no way I'll be heading back down there for the foreseeable future. So, Madam Menzel, I graciously, humbly, respectfully, and gladly accept your offer." Cheers and whistles from the audience.

"Of course, many people would say that I'd have to be mad as a hatter to turn down an offer that generous," I quipped, "but as many who know me will tell you, I am, indeed, mad as a hatter." Laughter from the crowd.

"What date do you want to leave for your trip?" asked Idina.

"Is there any way we can get me onto the cruise that leaves on May 31st?" I shot back.

"Let me check..." answered Idina. "...OK, done."

"I thank you so much, and before we end tonight's show...haha, see what I did there?" I joked. Next was a rimshot from QuestLove, who had resumed his place at the drums.

"Anyway, before we end tonight," I resumed, "I just want to send this message to the Princess I left down on the cruise ship:

_I'm coming home  
I'm coming home  
Tell the world that I'm coming home_

_Let the rain  
Wash away  
All the pain of yesterday_

_I know my kingdom awaits  
And they've forgiven my mistakes  
_

_I'm coming home  
I'm coming home  
Tell the world that I'm coming...  
Home..._

_Disney Fantasy,_" I warned, "you better get yourselves ready, because I am fixing to fulfill my promise. I'm coming home." The crowd applauded as the show came to a close.

* * *

A couple of nights later, I was standing at my bedroom window again, thinking of how I was soon to spend my second week on the ship where I had made my magic, and I could not prevent another chorus from escaping my lips:

_I'm on my way  
I'm on my way  
Home sweet home_

_Tonight, tonight_

_I'm on my way  
Just set me free  
Home sweet home_

And that was, indeed, what the _Disney Fantasy _was to me: A home away from home.

* * *

A/N: Lotsa setup happening here. Stick around.

TBC...

Next: Belle


End file.
